Category Archives: Passage To Ponder

August 13, 2025 · 6:35 am

Psalm 19:14–Watching the Words of Your Heart

I remember as a kid, during summer vacation, going down to the country, as we say in Indiana. That meant Kentucky. It meant staying with my Papaw and Granny Key in Grayson County.

They didn’t have indoor plumbing or air-conditioning, but we never minded. We had a ball. One of the unique experiences for a kid was seeing how they drew water from a well. They lowered a bucket down into the well, which drew its water from an underground spring. That water was cold, pure, and better tasting than city water. Continue reading →

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August 6, 2025 · 4:06 am

Matthew 19:3-6: Marriage in the Beginning

This month, Norma Jean and I will celebrate our 57th wedding anniversary.

We married at a time when divorce rates were increasing, due to a change of laws that introduced no-fault divorce and a shift in moral values. The divorce rate peaked at about 50%. In recent years, the number has decreased slightly and is now approximately 42%. Continue reading →

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July 23, 2025 · 7:00 am

Matthew 8:18-22: The Cost of Discipleship

Several years ago, Norma Jean and I were blessed to travel with Barry Britnell and a group of fellow Believers to Israel. It was a great trip. One I highly recommend to all Christians.

Today’s text reminds me of the day we entered the village of Capernaum, billed as “The Town of Jesus.” As we entered I snapped this picture of the statue of “Homeless Jesus” by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmaz. Continue reading →

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July 16, 2025 · 6:24 am

Matthew 3:13-17: Why was Jesus Baptized?

This week I’m teaching the adult Bible class at the Wellandport Church in Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada.

Our theme is “The Name of Jesus.” It highlights His greatness by considering 5 names of Jesus that identify Him in a unique and special way. Messiah. Nazarene. Lord. Almighty. And Savior. Continue reading →

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July 9, 2025 · 6:38 am

Titus 3:14–Helping Others

He’s being hailed as an American hero by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

U. S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Scott Ruskan, was called upon to help during the torrential flood in Kerrville, Texas, during the 4th of July holiday.

It was the first rescue mission of his career and he was sent to Camp Mystic, where he was the first Coast Guard officer on the scene. In a GMA interview Ruskan said there were over 200 children who were all scared, terrified, cold, having probably the worst day of their lives.” Continue reading →

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July 2, 2025 · 5:50 am

2 Corinthians 5:7- Walking By Faith

I recently read that an African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall.

Why? Continue reading →

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June 25, 2025 · 6:58 am

1 Timothy 2:1-2: Pray for the President

In the past five months since Donald J. Trump began his second term in office, he has continued to be criticized, second-guessed, and verbally attacked with vengeance and vitriol.

He must be the first President in history that can’t do anything right. He’s been subject to intense scrutiny and criticism over actions and policies his predecessors have taken, or at least promoted, yet they were not castigated by the news media. Continue reading →

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June 18, 2025 · 6:48 am

John 1:1-14–The Word

Billy Sunday once said in a sermon that there are 256 names given for Jesus in the Bible. Then he added, “I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.” Sunday’s comment reminds me of an observation made by Ralph Waldo Emerson who said that Jesus’ name “is not so much written as ploughed into the history of this world.”

I’ve been working on a series of lessons for the Wellandport VBS about the names of Jesus based on material from Apologetics Press. The five we’ll be studying are Messiah, Nazarene, Lord, Almighty, and Savior. I wish we could have a sixth lesson from today’s text Continue reading →

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June 11, 2025 · 7:04 am

1 Thessalonians 5:11- The Ministry of Encouragement

This past Sunday I preached a lesson entitled “Disciples Bear Burdens.” One of the points I made was that we bear one another’s burdens through encouragement.

In studying for the lesson, I found this great quote by author David Jeremiah. Continue reading →

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May 21, 2025 · 6:02 am

Romans 2:1-16: God’s Judgment vs Man’s Judgment

One morning, as Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, a group of scribes and Pharisees dragged a woman before Him. They said she had been caught in the very act of adultery.

According to the Law of Moses, they reminded Jesus, such a woman should be stoned. “What do you say?” they asked, hoping to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him. Continue reading →

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